Improvement in lightning-rods



R. S. COLE.

LIGHTNING-ROD. No. 175,933. Patented April 11, 1876 wmmsses lNVENTOR MMd find: 7%

A TTORN EYS N.PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

ROBERTS. COLE, OF MOUNT PLEASANT, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT lN LIGHTNING-RODS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,933, dated April11, 1876; application filed February 12, 1876.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. (loLE, of Mount Pleasant, in the county ofHenry andv State of Iowa, have invented a new and valuable Improvementin Lightning-Rods; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of thesame, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a plan view of mylightning-rod, and Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same.Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views thereof, and Fig. 5 is aplan view, part sectional. 1

This invention has relation to lightningconduetors for buildings, whichare made of sheet metal; and the nature of my invention consists, first,in a lightning-conductor made in sections, of sheet-iron, bent andfolded so as to present two thicknesses, of a concavoconvex form incross-section, and provided with a central rib, wires, and end tubes,the sections being connected by slip joints. as hereinafter more fullyset forth. My invention further consists in the employment, inconnection with the lightning-comluctor above described, of aground-sheath, provided with a funnel-shaped month for the reception ofthe section of the conductor above it, and perforations, as will behereinafter more fully set forth.

My lightning-conductor is composed of sections of sheet metal, of anysuitable length, united by means of sheath or slip joints A, andre-enforced by means of wires to applied in the tubular edges of thesections. When the sections are slipped togetherthey are held fast byindenting them, as shown at c, which can be readily done by means of ablunt-pointed tool. Each section of the conductor is composed of asingle strip or ribbon of sheet metal, of proper thickness, bent, bymeans of suitable machinery, so as to present a convex exterior surfaceand a concave posterior side. The tubes cl are formed at the edges ofthe conductor, and the edges of the strip are brought together andlapped or seamed, as shown at e, which forms a strengthening-rib. Thiscentral rib, together with the tubes cl at the edges of the conductor,and the concavo-convex form of the same, affords great strength andstiffness, but does not prevent the turning of cornices orchimneyornaments. 1} designates a sheath, which may be made of anysuitable metal, and which is designed to be sunk any desired depth inthe ground, the upper flaring or funnel-shaped end 9 of which will beabove the surface of the ground. This metal sheath is perforated, asindicated at f, for the purpose of allowing the escape and entrance ofwater, and into the upper funnel-shaped end of the sheath orground-section the lower end of the conductor is introduced.

In practice, the lower end of the sheath or ground-section Gr may beshut; but this is not absolutely necessary, for the reason that the claywill, if the sheath be left open at its lower end, shut this end, andprevent an es- J cape of water thereat.

If the metal of which the conductor is made is very thin, wires may beinserted into the tubes 61 their entire length; but when the sheet metalis thick this will not be neces sary.

It will be seen, from the above description, that I insert the lower endof the conductor into a water-receivin g casing or sheath,-which, bymeans of perforations, is in free communication with the surroundingearth, thus es tablishing a good electrical connection therewith. Thefunnel-shaped sheath will catch. the water which flows down theconductor.

. What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The lightning-conductor, made of sheetiron, bent and folded so as topresent two thicknesses of a concavo-convex form in crosssection, andhaving a rib, 0, tubes (1, wires a, and slip-joint A, substantially asdescribed, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the conductor herein described, theground-sheathG, made of sheet-iron, bent and folded so as to present twothicknesses of a concavo-couvex form in cross sec:ion, and provided witha funnelshaped month, g, for the reception of the section of theconductor above it, and perforations b b, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT s. coLE.

